


Spin the Commbadge

by Jaye_Voy



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Adult Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-09
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-06-01 03:17:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6498727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaye_Voy/pseuds/Jaye_Voy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A game changes the lives of the players.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spin the Commbadge

**Author's Note:**

> Set after "Barge of the Dead".  
> Originally written in 2004. Although there are some tweaks, the story's contents (and its flaws) are mostly intact.  
> Star Trek and all related characters and concepts are the property of Paramount. No infringement is intended or profit made. This is PG for adult themes.

It could have been worse. The entire senior staff could have been crammed into the stalled turbolift, instead of just Tom, Chakotay, Kathryn, and B'Elanna.

Unsurprisingly, Voyager's Chief Engineer was highly embarrassed at the situation. "I can't believe this!" B'Elanna muttered, one fist slamming into the wall in frustration. "They should have fixed the damn relays by now!"

"I'm sure Carey and Vorik are working double-time to get things ship-shape," Chakotay soothed from his spot on the floor. "At least it's just a glitch at the end of a quiet day. We could have been locked in here during a battle."

"B'Elanna, why don't you come sit down with the rest of us?" Kathryn suggested. "I'm not authorizing you to go crawling through the ceiling panel just to thrash your staff, so you might as well make yourself comfortable while we wait."

With a last annoyed grunt B'Elanna flung herself to the floor, completing the quartet of officers. "All right."

Chakotay's brow furrowed as he asked, "How are you holding up, Tom? I know you don't like small spaces."

The blond shrugged, his expression a mix of embarrassment and gratitude. "OK so far. But I think it would be better if we could do something to take my mind off the situation."

"And just what are you suggesting?" Kathryn asked, sharing a knowing glance with her First Officer.

"Spin the Commbadge," Tom replied.

"What's that?" Chakotay asked warily. "Some kind of variation of 'Spin the Bottle'?"

"Yep." Tom leaned forward eagerly. "But no kissing involved. Whoever spins the commbadge gets to reveal a truth about the person it points to."

"C'mon old man, not afraid of a few secrets slipping out, are you?" B'Elanna teased.

"You're forgetting that my life lately hasn't been as 'interesting' as yours, B'Elanna," Chakotay replied with a fond grin, but then looked to his captain. "Are you game, Kathryn?"

"Why not?" Kathryn agreed with a twinkle in her eye. "If things get out of hand I can always order you all to stop."

"OK!" Tom hastily snatched his commbadge from his chest and set it on the carpet in the center of the circle. He spun the tiny device, then looked up as the pointed end stopped in front of his lover. "B'Elanna has a secret stash of romance novels and chick flicks, the drippier the better."

The half-Klingon's growl combined with the glint in her eyes to warn Tom of retribution. She took her turn, then sat back when the tip indicated Kathryn. "Kathryn got caught on the holodeck skinny-dipping in Lake George."

"B'Elanna!" Kathryn protested, expression scandalized. "You said you wouldn't tell anyone!"

B'Elanna's brows rose suggestively. "Would you rather I told them about the time you got stuck in---"

"No! You've already revealed quite enough, thank you," Kathryn cut her off hastily and spun the badge. She grinned across at a suddenly nervous Chakotay, then her eyes slid back to B'Elanna. "Chakotay was mad as hell at B'Elanna over her Barge experience."

"What?" B'Elanna looked to her former captain, whose eyes had dropped to the carpet. "But you told me not to be afraid to explore my heritage and seek the truth."

"It wasn't that, B'Elanna," Chakotay murmured before lifting his eyes to meet hers squarely. "It was that you were freezing Tom out again. You don't know how desperate a man feels when he wants to help someone he cares about, but they won't let him in."

"I---thanks, Chakotay." Tom's surprised expression quickly sobered as he turned to B'Elanna as well. "That's exactly what it was like for me, B'Elanna. I felt like you were a million parsecs away and I couldn't reach you, no matter how hard I tried."

B'Elanna dropped her eyes and gestured for Chakotay to spin the badge. It pointed to Tom. Chakotay shrugged and said, "I don't know if I've made this common knowledge, but I think Tom's matured into one of the finest people I know and I'm proud to call him a friend."

Tom swallowed, a faint flush rising on his cheekbones. His voice was husky as he replied, "Same here." He hastily took his turn, and the badge pointed to Kathryn. Tom bit his lip. "I was glad B'Elanna could turn to Kathryn recently, but I resent sometimes how easily she understands B'Elanna in ways I can't seem to."

"I guess it's just a matter of a feminine perspective, Tom." Kathryn shifted uncomfortably. She took the commbadge and nodded when it came to rest facing B'Elanna. "I just want to say how much I admire B'Elanna's passion, her fierceness, her determination to do what she thinks is right."

The men chuckled as B'Elanna's cheeks burned. She snatched the badge, and looked up when it pointed to Tom. She cleared her throat, biting her lip. Then, meeting his eyes, she said, "I love Tom. He's been a good friend, and a fine lover...but I'm breaking up with him."

"What!?!" Chakotay stunned the company with a sudden, uncharacterstic burst of anger. "I don't understand this. I can't believe you, B'Elanna! Tom is a smart, brave, funny, caring, handsome, wonderful man---you're lucky to have him!"

"Maybe so, but I don't want a man!" B'Elanna's shout echoed in the suddenly silent turbolift. More quietly, she admitted, "I want a woman who has always stirred my mind and my passions. I sought the truth, Chakotay, and I realized that Tom and I were never right together. Because we were each yearning for someone else." Her eyes sought Kathryn's, her gaze a mix of defiance and vulnerability.

Tom broke in with, "That's right. And B'Elanna may not want a man, Chakotay---but I do." His expression turned tender. "A strong warrior with a soft heart---" He grinned affectionately. "And the most warped sense of humor in the quadrant."

Blue eyes held brown for a long moment, then Tom leaned back on his hands. "The only question B'Elanna and I have for you two now, is if you'll drop this years-old pretense of wanting each other and accept the ones who want you."

Kathryn and Chakotay shared a shocked glance, but before either one could say anything the turbolift jerked to life.

"Carey here. We've fixed the relays---sorry for delaying your off-duty plans. Engineering out."

The four stood awkwardly, then exited the turbolift when it opened and made their way along the corridor without a word.

"What would you say, B'Elanna, to a glass of wine and some further discussion of recent events?" Kathryn asked as the group paused at her door.

"I'd say yes," B'Elanna replied with a shark's grin.

The two women hastily disappeared into Kathryn's cabin, while Chakotay simply took Tom's hand and led Tom into his own.

"You and B'Elanna planned this, didn't you?" Chakotay asked as he settled with the blond on the couch, one arm encircling Tom's shoulders while the other hand landed on Tom's knee.

"Down to the relays blowing," Tom admitted, wrapping one hand around Chakotay's nape to toy with soft black hair. "When B'Elanna turned to Kathryn during this last crisis it was the final straw for us, I guess. She admitted that she fancied the captain, and I confessed that I've always found a certain Mystic Warrior utterly fascinating..." He trailed off, ducking his head slightly.

"Probably for just about as long as I've been pining after a certain Flyboy." Chakotay's confession held its own touch of vulnerability, but then he chuckled. "I guess it's a good thing then that I didn't report the set-to-fail relays with yours and B'Elanna's DNA all over them when they showed up on my random engineering scan."

Tom's jaw dropped. "You *knew*?"

"I suspected you two were cooking up something," Chakotay admitted, his voice wistful. "But I thought you were just planning a tryst in the turbolift."

"We were," Tom said, his other hand rising to cup Chakotay's jaw. "With the ones we love."

"I love you too, Tom," Chakotay managed to murmur before their lips met.

Their smiles easily melted into kisses of passion and tenderness, as they took the first step on their journey together.

THE END

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are welcomed with great joy and constructive criticism is treasured as a rare gift.


End file.
